Amid rumours doing the rounds that the police had released the dogs that bit the head of a four-year-old boy, identified as Omonigho Abraham, in Igando area of Lagos State to the owner, the Lagos State Police Command yesterday paraded the dogs to redeem its image and douse the tension it generated.
Addressing newsmen after parading the dogs at the police headquarters in Ikeja, the Commissioner for Police, Cornelius Aderanti, said only a court of law could decide whether the two dogs will be killed or not.
Aderanti explained that the dogs had been examined and been found to be disease-free, adding that it was important to parade the dogs so that the public would be rest assured that the dogs were still in police custody, and had not been released as rumoured by members of the public.
According to him, “We have brought the dogs out so that the public would know that they are still in police custody. They have been examined and show no negative trait. It is only the court that will decide what happens to them. The police cannot decide to kill the dogs.”
Also speaking, Yahaya Usman, veterinary officer of the police, added that the medical record showed the dogs had neither rabies nor other dog-related diseases.
Usman said, “Initially, we quarantined the dogs, and wanted to find out whether the dogs had any disease or not. That was the first step taken by the police. The dogs were under our watch for a period of weeks.
“So far, they have not shown any negative trait. The medical history shows that they don’t have rabies or the Ebola Virus Disease. The dogs are with us, and only the court will determine what happens to the dogs.”
Recalling their ordeal, the victim’s father, Mr. Odiah Abraham said they had warned the owner about the impending danger of allowing the dogs to roam in the neighborhood three days before the incident, after the dogs chased a neighbour and his wife, but that he ignored their advice.
According to him,, “Three days to the incident, a woman who lives in the neighbourhood had gone downstairs to spread her clothes on the line.
“She had left and was approaching her room when the dogs ran out of their cage and pursued her. She was just lucky that she was close to her room, if not they would have bitten her.
“She ran in and shut the door against her. The dogs stood at the gate for some time and when they saw she did not open, they ran back to their cage.
“My wife met Stanley (Wesley) and told him to do something about the dogs, as there were little children within the neighbourhood, but he just ignored the warning.”
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